Vending machine head



Dec. 15, 1959 w. J. HARDIN vsunmc MACHINE HEAD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 3, 1957 ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTCI RN EYE Dec. 15, 1959 w. J. HARDIN VENDING MACHINE HEAD Filed Sept. 5, 1957 United States Patent Ofi ice 2,917,203 Patented Dec. 15, 1959 VENDING MACHINE HEAD William J. Hardin, Jackson, Tenn. 7 Application September 3, 1957, Serial No. 681,718

4 Claims. (Cl. 221-495) This invention relates to vending machines of the type used particularly for candy bars wherein the candy bars which the machine is of a simple and economical con- I section in which the vertically disposed section is pivare dispensed from the lower ends of stacks in chutesof a case, and in particular a machine wherein the candy bars are pushed from the chutes to positions upon hinged trays as knobs or buttons on the face of the machine are pressed downwardly, and wherein the trays are released, dropping candy'bars thereon into pockets from which the bars are manually removed as the knobs pass through return movements.

The purpose of this machine is to provide a candybar vendingmachine in which the candy bars are dispensed with return' movement of knobs, buttons, or the like whereby it is substantially impossible to milk the machine. v Vending machines have been provided for dispensing various types of products and such machines are made in various designs, however, particularly in coin operated vending machines it is difficult to form'the parts so that it is impossible to milk the machine. In substantially all conventional machinesfor this use it is possible, by continuous hammering on a key, button, or knob to work material from the machine without depositing a coin In such machines the products are dispensed with the downward movement of 'the knob or key so that theoutward progress of a candy-bar in the machine is continuous and barswill eventually drop into pockets fro which they may be removed by hand. i

With this thought in mind this inventioncontemplates a vending "machine in which products are dispensed there from with the return movement of the knob or key instead of with the downward movement-thereof and by this means the progress of a candy bar -traveling'from a column or chute to a pocket from which the bar may be removed by hand is'inte'rr'upted by a pivotally mounted'tray so that it issubstantially impossible to'drop the bars with wires and the like extended through openings associated with the pockets. i The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a candy bar vending machine in which the bars are first dispensed to hinged trays on which the bars are held until knobs or the like for actuating the vending instrumentalities are returned to original positions. Another object of the invention is to provide a vending machine having a product retaining tray in which a horizontally disposed plate is provided below the product retaining tray to prevent products on the tray being dropped therefrom by wire inserted through an outlet opening. v I

A further object of-the invention is to provide a vending machine in which it issubstantially impossible to work the products from the machine with wires and the like in which the improved elements are designed to be installed in a' conventional vending machine.- ,A stillfurther object of the invention is to provide a vending machine for candy bars-and the like in which it i s b a a y? m s ble t n m s. h s shi g in otally connected to a slider on a shelf with a pusher on the upper end of the slider for sliding bars resting upon spaced inverted U-shaped rails from lower ends of chutes and wherein the bars are deposited upon hinged trays with bar retaining lips on outer edges thereof and wherein the trays are elevated to horizontally disposed positions as the levers are actuated by knobs extending from the lower horizontally disposed sections thereof with the knobs pressed downwardly upon being released by insertion of a coin in the machine and wherein upon return movement of the knobs the trays are dropped releasing candy bars or the like thereon so that the bars are dropped into pockets from which the bars may be removed by hand.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection'with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the intermediate part of the machine illustrating one of the chutes or units from which bars are dispensed from the machine;

Figure 2 is a cross section through the machine with the parts shown on an enlarged scale showing the path of a candy bar from a chute of the machine to the tray and from the tray to the pocket from which the bar is removed by hand, said section being taken on line 2-2 of Figure l-.'

Figure 3 is ,a longitudinal section through the unit of the machine taken on line 33 of Figure 1, with the parts shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a cross section through the machine somewhat similar to that shown in Figure 2 showing a candy bar on the tray from which the bar is dropped upon return movement of a knob of the machine.

Figure 5 is a cross section through the intermediate part of the machine showing a shelf upon which the candy bar carrying elements are mounted, the section being shown similar to that shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a plan view showing the candy bar carrying channels mounted on the shelf of the machine and also showing one of the trays extending from the lower ends of the chutes for carrying candy bars pushed from lower ends of the chutes.

Figure 7 is an end elevational view showing the slider with other parts omitted and showing the tray in broken lines positioned above the nose of the slider.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the slider with other parts omitted and showing arms extended therefrom with ends of the arms broken away.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved vending machine of this invention includes a single unit or a plurality of units including a tray 10 pivotally mounted by a pin 11 in extended ends of channel bars 12, 13, and 14 positioned on a shelf 15, the tray being positioned to drop upon a stationary chute 16 extended from the shelf and adapted to be elevated by a nose 17 extended from a slider 18 secured in a head 19 pivotally connected by a pin 20 to the upper end of an arm 21 of an L-shaped lever having a horizontally disposed section 22 with a key or knob 23 on the outer end and which is pivotally mounted in the machine by a shaft 24. The nose 17 is positioned v as may be desired.

The tray 10 is also provided with spaced slots 26 and 27 through which bars 23 and 29, respectively project, as shown in Figure 2 and with the candy bars resting upon the trays, as shown in Figure 4 the bars 28 and 29elevate the candy bars above lips 3% on the outer edge ofthe" tray, as shown in Figure 2, whereby upon lowering of the tray with the return movement of the key or knob 23 the candy bars are elevated above the lips so that: they drop downwardly into the pockets 31 from which the bars may be removed by hand through an opening 32 in the frontwall 33 of the casing 34.

The slider 18, which travels in a slot in the shelf 15' is provided with an upper plate or pusher 35that is positioned to slide the lowermost candy bar or package, as indicated' by the numeral 36 outwardly from a stack orcolumn 37 in a chute 38 whereby the bar 36 is deposited upon. the tray with the parts positioned as illustrated in. Figure 4.

The slider 18 is formed with spaced plates 39'and' 40" and the plates are provided with a pair of rollers 41 at the front and. 42 at the rear, with the rollers positioned to travel on the shelf 15. The slider is actuated by the vertically disposed arm 21 of the L-shaped lever whereby upon pressing of the knob 23 the upper end of the arm 21 moves forwardly carrying the slider from the position shown in Figure Z'to that shown in Figure 4 whereinthe pusher or bar 35 moves the candy bar 36 from the-position shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 4. Inthis movement the nose members 17 and 25 engage projections 43 depending from the tray 10 elevating the trayor. swinging the outer end upwardly from the position shown in fulllines and in FigureZ to that shown in Figure' 4. Upon release of the knobs or keys 23 springs, not: shown, swingthe L-shaped lever about the shaft 24rdturningithe upper end of the arm 21' to the position-shown in Figure 2 and in this movement the nose pieces-1'7 and 25 are withdrawn from" the positions below the: tray wherebythe tray swings downwardly about the axis of the pin 11 with the candy bar restin upon the bars 28 and'29' which elevate the bar above the lips 30 so thatthe bar drops downwardiy into the pocket 33;,

The chute 38 is provided with swinging gravity actuated arms 44 which are pivotally mounted on outer walls45 of the chute by a pin 46 and the extended ends of the arms are provided with rollers 47 which roll upon candy bars urging the candy bars downwardly into the tray 10', particularly as-shown in Figure4.

The outer ends of the bars 28 and 29 rest upon the I chute. 16 including a plate 48 that is secured to an intermediatepartition 49 of the vending machine case by a flange 5.0 which is secured in positionby welding, orother suitable means and, as illustrated in Figure 4, the plate 48 preventswires or other objects being inserted through the openings 32 to work candy bars or other products over the lip 30 on the outer end of the tray.

The: partition 49 extends upwardly from aninclined plate 51 that connects upper ends of walls 52 and 53, the wall 52 forming the inner surface of the pocket 31, the lower end of which is formed with a plate 54 connecting the lower edge of the plate 52 to the front wall 33 o'f-the case;

The lower end of the chute 38 is provided with a spring clip; 55 for retaining the candy bars in the lower end of the chute as the lowermost bar, as indicated by thenumeral 36 in Figure 2, is pushed from the position at' the lower end of the chute to a position upon the tray 10, as shown in Figure 4. The spring finger or clip 55 is secured to the front wall 45 of the chute by suitable fasteners, such as the rivets'56.

The chute 38 is provided with clip angles 57 that/are positioned to rest upon a longitudinally disposed bar 58', the ends of which are secured to end walls of the housing. By this means the chute is' supported in the housing andmay readily be removed and replaced as desired.

4, Operation With the parts assembled as illustrated and described one or a plurality of chutes, such as the chute 38 is filled with candy bars or other products and upon placing a coin in a coin slot of conventional design the knob 23 is pressed downwardly whereby the L-shaped lever moves in a counterclockwise direction about the shaft 24 with the upper end causing the slider to travel across the shelf whereby the bar 35 forces the lowermost candy bar outwardly from the lower end of the stack or. chute upon a tray Iii and as the key or knob is released a spring, which is connected to the L-shaped lever returns the upper end of the lever withdrawing the nose elements or arms 17 and 25 whereby, in the withdrawing action the candy bar is elevated above the surface of the tray by the bars 28 and 29 permitting the bar to slide over the lip 30 so that. the candy bar will slide downwardly into the pocket 31. The bars may then be recovered by hand through the opening32 in the front wall 33.

The machine may be operated by a pull lever or by a leverthat is pressed downwardly,.as shown.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of. the. appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of: the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A. vending machine for candy bars and the like comprising. a case, a horizontally disposed shelf'positioned in thecase, a slider mounted to travel on the shelf, an LL-shapd lever pivotally mounted in the case and positi oned to actuate the slider, a chute extended upwardly from apoint spaced above the shelf, a tray having transversely disposedslots; therein pivotally mounted on the shelf,.positioned to receive products from the chute and mounted to extend forwardly from the chute, means for elevating the tray by the. slider. whereby products are transferred from the slider to the'tray, and bars mounted onand extendedfromthe shelf and positioned to extend through the transversely disposedslots of the tray for transferring products from the tray to the bars in the return movement of the slider, whereby the products are depositedv into a delivery pocket. I

2. In a vending machine, thecombination which comprises a case, a horizontally disposed shelf, positioned in the; case-and spaced upwardly from the lower end, a product retaining chute: extended upwardly above the shelf, ,the lower end of the chute being spaced from the shelf, channel bars mountedon the, shelf andpositioned below the chute, a slider mounted to travel on the shelf and. having a bar on the upper. end, a tray pivotally mounted on the channel bars, extended forwardly from the chute? and positioned to receive products from the chute, an inclined. plate positioned to receive the tray, said tray having slots extended therethrough and lips on the outer edge,-. bars extended from the slider for elevating;thetray, bars positioned on the inclined plate. for extending upwardly through said slots in the tray whereby products iuthe tray are deposited on thebars upon dropping of the-tray with the lips of the-tray passing below said products, an L-shaped lever pivotally mounted in the case and- ,pivotally. connected to the slider and means for manually actuating thelever to actuate the slider.

3. In. a. vending machine, the combination which comprises a case, a horizontally disposed shelf positioned'in the case and spaced upwardly from the lower end, a product retaining chute extended upwardly above the shelf, the lower end of the chutebeing'spaced from the shelf, channel bars mounted on the shelf "and positioned below the chute, a slider mounted to travel on the shelf and having a product engaging bar on the upper end, a tray pivotally mounted in the channel bars and extended forwardly from the chute; the tray' being positio'ned to receive productsfrom the chute; an inclined plate positioned to receive the tray; 's'aid tray having slot! extended therethrough and lips on the outer edge, bars extended from the slider for elevating the tray, bars posi' tioned on the inclined plate for extending upwardly through said slots in the tray whereby products in the tray are deposited on the bars upon dropping of the tray with the lips of the tray passing below said products, means mounted on the chute for urging products against the upper surface of the tray, an L-shaped lever pivotally mounted in the case and pivotally connected to the slider and means for manually actuating the lever to actuate the slider.

4. In a vending machine, the combination which comprises a case, a horizontally disposed shelf positioned in the case and spaced upwardly from the lower end, a product retaining chute extended upwardly above the shelf, the lower end of the chute being spaced from the shelf, channel bars mounted on the shelf and positioned below the chute, a slider mounted to travel on the shelf and having a product engaging bar on the upper end, a tray pivotally mounted on the channel bars and extended forwardly from the chute, the tray being positioned to receive products from the chute, an inclined plate positioned to receive the tray, said tray having slots extended therethrough and product retaining lips on the outer edge, bars extended from the slider for elevating the tray, bars positioned on the inclined plate for extending upwardly through said slots in the tray whereby products in the tray are deposited on the bars upon dropping of the tray with the lips of the tray passing below said products, means mounted on the chute for urging products against the upper surface of the tray, an L-shaped lever pivotally mounted in the case and pivotally connected to the slider means for manually actuating the lever to actuate the slider, and resilient means for returning the slider and lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 609,996 Pond Aug. 30, 1898 897,642 Murray Sept. 1, 1908 1,611,742 Hammer Dec. 21, 1926 1,677,938 Van Sickle July 24, 1928 1,719,826 Aldrich July 9, 1929 2,546,986 Dressler Apr. 3, 1951 

